The 1905 season was one of incredible success for the silver and gold. Idaho allowed only two points to be scored against the team during the entire season. Ironically, those two points were scored by Lewiston High School.
Idaho opened the season with a practice game against Lewiston High School and, as expected, dominated the game. The silver and gold put up a huge score of 42 while only allowing Lewiston two points. The two points allowed were scored via a safety as a result of an Idaho fumble after the game was well in hand. The anticipated schedule of 1905 an example of how much has changed since the university first began playing football. Idaho’s assistant manager scheduled every three days between October 7th and October 20. Luckily for Idaho the vast majority of those games were scheduled to be played at Moscow. In addition, as the Argonaut points out, Idaho was missing two key players for the 1905 season. One due to parental objection and one due to a mining injury.
October 7th marked the true beginning of the season and the first test against a college opponent. It didn’t matter for Idaho. The silver and gold put up the largest score in the history of the program to that point by defeating Montana Agricultural College (later Montana State University) by the score of 50-0. The official Idaho records do not have a date for this game but the Argonaut indicates it was scheduled for October 7.
As I mentioned Idaho had tentatively scheduled many more games than actually ended up being played. In fact, the next game to be played didn’t happen until Idaho hosted Washington on October 30. And in the October 30 issue of the Argonaut the top story was Idaho’s historic 8-0 victory over Washington. Idaho’s 8 points were scored via two field goals. After the game a reception was held in Ridenbaugh hall, then a women’s dormitory, for both teams.
After the Washington game all eyes focused on the Washington State game. Idaho was set to host the game and set about constructing extra bleachers to accommodate the extra fans expected to witness Idaho’s best team in years. The Idaho faithful were not disappointed as Idaho stayed undefeated by beating Washington State 5-0. After victories over Montana State, Washington, and Washington State, Idaho proved that it alone was the best team in the northwest states of Idaho, Washington, and Montana. Only Whitman remained between Idaho and an undefeated season. The Argonaut calculated that 3,500 fans witnessed the game between Idaho and Washington State. As a result of the victory Idaho tied the all-time series between the two schools at 4-4 and ran it’s win streak over Washington State to 3 games in a row.
The final game of the season for Idaho was against the Missionaries of Whitman College. The Idaho record book incorrectly dates this game as happening on November 11 but in fact it took place on November 18. As in the previous contests of the 1905 season, Idaho had little trouble with Whitman and defeated the Missionaries 9-0 to cap off an undefeated season.
The victory over Whitman left Idaho undefeated and un-scored-upon by any college team in the entire season. It also left Idaho as the only undefeated team in the northwest and undisputed champion of the northwest. Even the Chronicle recognized Idaho as champion of the northwest, although the Chronicle did take the opportunity to criticize Idaho’s light schedule.
